Hi guys,
I'm looking to upgrade my car from a Camry V6. What I'm looking for is a fast, fun to drive, somewhat reliable RWD family sedan and so far, the Stinger and Model 3 Base are in my shortlist. Both brand news are within the $65 - 70k range so I think it's a fair comparison. I was eyeing for the VW Arteon/Tiguan R-line as well but they are not RWD and I don't feel confidence with German reliability. I am aware that the Stinger and Tesla might not be as reliable as a Toyota though. I will be doing around 15,000 km a year, with casual road trips, and I am planning to keep this car for 5 years.
I have test driven the new Stinger GT; and coming from a current gen Camry, I am very impressed with its power, interiors and technology. It comes with all the bell and whistles and also comes with 7 years warranty which are appealing. Cons: it is a $70k Kia, a bit overpowered for every day use and consumes a lot of petrol. The car that I test drove show 13.5L on average. I also heard stories about the rattles and paint quality issues as well but most seem to be covered under warranty.
I haven't yet test driven the Model 3 but from the photos, the exterior/interior seem a bit boring. I'm not sure if the ride and comfort quality will be on par with the Stinger?
Pros: I can charge from home with solar, save money on petrol and that seems to be more future proofing. I can also upgrade to auto-pilot in the future.
Cons: extremely simple interior, no HUD, glass roof (may be no good for Aussie summer?), shorter warranty, not sure if it will be good for roadtrip and whether panel gap, paint quality, software issue have been rectified in the latest model?
So which one would you pick? Is there any other recommendation? I appreciate all your inputs and also hope to receive some reviews from people who have owned/driven these vehicles.
***Updates after test driving the Tesla:
It has pretty good handling, fairly quiet, quick and has a nice infotainment. No panel gaps, quality issues. However, I wasn't as impressed like I had been in the Stinger. Here are why:
. The steering wheel looks and feels cheap (similar to an old Yaris);
. The seats are pretty firm and uncomfortable, especially at the back. The leathers aren't nice to touch. I took 2 friends in the back seats and they didn't like the seating position nor the firmness nor the space.
. There is no HUD and I had to always take my eyes off the road to look at the tiny speed indicator on the screen.
. Average trunk size and unfortunately, no spare tyre.
. The brake technology takes sometimes to get used to but it makes the ride feel rough. I would turn it off if I bought this car.
. Almost everything has to be done through the screen, even normal tasks like opening the glove box, adjusting the aircon and turning on wiper.
. Accelaration is quick but it lacks the characteristics.
. Weird way to opening the door.
. Only 4 years/80k km warranty.
I think this car will eventually evolve and be a good Corolla/A to B car replacement in the future (when EV becomes more affordable). I would certainly consider may be a model Y when I have kids (and need to save money). At the moment, I don't think many people who owns Corolla/Hybrid cars will consider spending double the price for a Tesla. The ride, handling is good but imo, the build quality, the comfort aren't up there like the new Stinger.
After testing out the Model 3, my missus straight up told me to buy a Stinger. I have placed my deposit and am looking to receive the Stinger in Ceramic Grey by end of the year.
Again guys, thank you for all your input.
Big fan of the Kia and stinger, but its' days our numbered. Which also won't help with resale.
I would get a model 3, if you can wait for the delivery time.
Not only do you get a cheaper car to run, you get over the air updates, Netflix, better resale, whilst also getting decent power and Rwd.